Whale removal, study to begin today

Parts of the animal will be taken for research, with the rest to a landfill

The carcass of a dead whale was found at Border Field State Park approximately a half-mile from the U.S./Mexico Border. The whale was decomposing as the tide pushed it up onto the beach.
— Sean M. Haffey

The carcass of a dead whale was found at Border Field State Park approximately a half-mile from the U.S./Mexico Border. The whale was decomposing as the tide pushed it up onto the beach.
— Sean M. Haffey

BORDER FIELD STATE PARK  Work is set to begin Thursday on removing the carcass of a fin whale that washed up for a second time on San Diego County’s shoreline.

The roughly 60-foot carcass was towed out to sea last week after it was found beached May 19 near the Point Loma Wastewater Treatment Plant. A towing line broke, and strong currents brought it to the sands of Border Field State Park over the weekend.

Chris Peregrin, the park’s manager, said Wednesday that officials will begin an exploratory necropsy Thursday.

“Most likely, we’ll take the portions of the animal that can be used for research and education and take the rest to the landfill,” he said.

Justin Viezbicke, the California stranding network coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center in La Jolla, said a small excavator will be used to start breaking down the carcass Thursday.

He said because the whale is so decayed, it is doubtful that researchers can determine how the mammal died. “The challenge for us is trying to get as much information as we can” given the whale’s condition, he added.

Peregrin said he hopes the process will be finished by Sunday, but there is no definite timeline and no clear cost estimate. Disposal costs could range between $10,000 and $30,000, he said.